| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Marketing |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Public Relations Manager |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 2 to 4 years in public relations or media |
Public Relations Executive job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Public Relations Executive
Department: Marketing
Reports to: Public Relations Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Public Relations Executive builds a brand's reputation through earned media and public relationships. They write press releases, pitch stories to journalists, arrange interviews and coverage, organise press events, and track what is said about the brand. The role sits in the PR or communications team, or in a PR agency serving clients. A good one gets the brand into the right publications with the right message, builds warm relationships with journalists, handles negative coverage calmly, and can show the coverage and reach their work earns.
Key responsibilities
- Write press releases, media pitches, quotes and backgrounders for the brand or clients.
- Pitch stories to journalists and editors, and follow up to secure coverage.
- Build and maintain relationships with journalists, editors and media houses.
- Arrange interviews, media meetings and press events, and prepare spokespeople.
- Track media coverage of the brand and its sector, and report reach and sentiment.
- Organise press conferences, launches and media visits end to end.
- Draft responses to media queries and coordinate approvals before replying.
- Support reputation and crisis communication with prepared, approved messaging.
- Maintain the media contact list and a record of coverage earned.
- Coordinate with the wider marketing team so PR fits the campaign calendar.
Requirements
- Bachelor's or master's degree in mass communication, journalism, PR or English
- Strong writing and pitching skills
- PR agency or in-house experience is an advantage
- 2 to 4 years in public relations or media
KRAs and KPIs for a Public Relations Executive
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Media coverage | Secure a set number of quality media placements each quarter |
| Pitch success | A healthy share of pitches converted into published coverage |
| Media relationships | Build and keep active journalist contacts across the sector |
| Coverage sentiment | Keep the balance of coverage positive or neutral over the period |
| Event execution | Press events run smoothly with good media turnout |
| Response time | Media queries answered with approved responses within the agreed time |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Media monitoring tools, Press distribution services, MS Office, Media contact database, Email and phone.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Public Relations Manager, Communications Manager
Interview questions for a Public Relations Executive
- How would you pitch a story for a brand that thinks it has no news?
- A journalist writes a negative piece about your brand. How do you respond?
- How do you build a relationship with a journalist you have never met?
- How do you measure the value of the coverage you earn?
- How do you prepare a spokesperson for a media interview?
- How do you run a press event so journalists actually attend and cover it?
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What does a public relations executive do?
A public relations executive builds a brand's reputation through earned media. They write press releases, pitch stories to journalists, arrange interviews and coverage, organise press events, and track what is said about the brand. They build relationships with journalists and work to get the brand into the right publications with the right message.
What is the difference between PR and advertising?
Advertising is paid: the brand buys space and controls the message. Public relations is earned: the brand persuades journalists to cover its story, which readers often trust more but the brand controls less. Advertising guarantees placement; PR builds credibility through third-party coverage. Both are part of a full marketing effort.
What skills does a public relations executive need?
A public relations executive needs strong writing for press releases and pitches, media relations, and event management skills. Reputation awareness and calm communication matter when handling negative coverage. Relationship building is the core skill, since the job depends on journalists trusting you enough to cover your stories fairly and often.